MOSCOW. March 12 (Interfax-AVN) - One fourth of all crimes committed in the Russian army involve abuses, harassment and hazing of servicemen by their superiors, Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov said at a coordinating meeting of the chiefs of the Russian federal law enforcement agencies in Moscow on Wednesday.
"These crimes logically produce desertion, escapes and absences without leave. They account for two thirds of offenses to military regulations," he said.
The number of desertions combined with the stealing and use of weapons has also increased, Ustinov said. In the past two years, 43 such crimes have been recorded, in which 6 servicemen, 5 civilians and 9 policemen were killed, the prosecutor general said.
Ustinov regretted that in fighting such crimes as hazing and beating in the army, usually only the consequences are dealt with. In this connection, prosecution authorities have been instructed "not to wait until the next platoon leaves service but to systematically supervise the observation of army regulations," he said.
"But when trouble does happen, it is necessary to check the whole line of those responsible, from the company commander to the minister," Ustinov said, noting that Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was specially invited to attend the session.